Hipparchus of Rhodes
Published: September 7, 2006, 9:47 pm
Updated: September 7, 2006, 9:47 pm
This article has been reviewed by the following Topic Editor:
Peter Saundry
Hipparchus of Rhodes (c. 190 BC-120 BC), an ancient Greek astronomer and mathematician who made fundamental contributions to the advancement of astronomy as a mathematical science and to the foundations of trigonometry. He produced a table of chords, an early example of a trigonometric table, leading some historians to argue that he was the inventor of trigonometry. The purpose of this table of chords was to give a method for solving triangles that avoided solving each triangle from first principles. He also introduced the division of a circle into 360 degrees to Greece. Hipparchus calculated the length of the year to within 6.5 minutes, discovered the precession of the equinoxes, and made some early, careful studies of the motion of Earth's moon.
Further Reading
Hipparchus - Biography (University of St. Andrews, Scotland, School of Mathematics and Statistics)
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Citation
Cutler J. Cleveland (Lead Author);Peter Saundry (Topic Editor) "Hipparchus of Rhodes". In: Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment). [First published in the Encyclopedia of Earth September 7, 2006; Last revised Date September 7, 2006; Retrieved May 21, 2013 <http://www.eoearth.org/article/Hipparchus_of_Rhodes>
The Author
Cutler J. Cleveland is Professor of Earth and Environment at Boston University, where he also is on the faculty of the Center for Energy and Environmental Studies. Professor Cleveland is Editor-in-Chief of the Encyclopedia of Energy (Elsevier, 2004), winner of an American Library Association award, the Dictionary of Energy (Elsevier, 2005), Handbook of Energy (Elsevier, forthcoming), and is the Founding Editor-in-Chief of the Encyclopedia of Earth. He is the recipient of the Adelma ... (Full Bio)
Hipparchus of Rhodes (c. 190 BC-120 BC), an ancient Greek astronomer and mathematician who made fundamental contributions to the advancement of astronomy as a mathematical science and to the foundations of trigonometry. He produced a table of chords, an early example of a trigonometric table, leading some historians to argue that he was the inventor of trigonometry. The purpose of this table of chords was to give a method for solving triangles that avoided solving each triangle from first principles. He also introduced the division of a circle into 360 degrees to Greece. Hipparchus calculated the length of the year to within 6.5 minutes, discovered the precession of the equinoxes, and made some early, careful studies of the motion of Earth's moon.
Further Reading
Hipparchus - Biography (University of St. Andrews, Scotland, School of Mathematics and Statistics)
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